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Ashland, Virginia
Links * Train and station information: http://virtualrailfan.com/ashland-va-information/ * Live feed: http://virtualrailfan.com/ashland-va-cams/site (free, for registered members only) * Youtube live feed: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0oQh1Fomq4 Cameras Ashland Facts * The crossing visible on the North camera and the 360° camera is England St & Center St in downtown Ashland. * When local schools are in session, a crossing guard (usually Leroy) waves school buses across the tracks to keep traffic moving. * The two tracks visible are #2 (far side on the 360° camera, near side on the static cameras) and #3. Track #1 used to be a siding in the Ashland station, but it was removed decades ago. The eastern lane of Center Street now occupies this space. Both tracks are bi-directional, thus used in both directions. * Ashland is a quiet zone. Therefore trains do not use their horns, except when something is on the tracks. * There is a speed limit through Ashland. At night the limit is 45 mph, during the day it is 35 mph. * 20 Amtrak trains pass Ashland Monday through Friday, 19 on weekend days. * The Amtrak station can be seen on the North camera just west of the tracks. It is the building with the triangular roof. * Half of the daily Amtrak trains stop at the Ashland Amtrak station. These trains are Northeast Regional trains. Long-distance trains do not stop at the Ashland station. * Over 30 different Amtrak trains pass Ashland during the course of a week. The times in the tables below are scheduled times. Trains may be early or late. To determine the current or actual time for a train, you can use various Amtrak trackers: ** https://asm.transitdocs.com/map ** https://www.amtrak.com/track-your-train.html ** http://dixielandsoftware.net/Amtrak/status/StatusMaps/ * Next Amtrak stations are Fredericksburg, Virginia to the north, and Richmond, Virginia (Staples Mill Rd Station) to the south. * The toy train store visible on the South camera can be visited online: http://www.trainandtoystore.com/ Historical information The railroad through modern Ashland was opened by the [[wp:Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad|Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad]] on January 23, 1837 from Richmond to Fredericksburg. It was extended to Aquia Creek at the Potomac River on September 30, 1842, where passengers to Washington had to board a boat to continue their journey. On May 1, 1872 a new branch line was opened from Brooke to Quantico, and the old line from Brooke to Aquia Creek was abandoned at the same date. Two months later, on July 2, the Alexandria and Fredericksburg Railroad opened their main line from Alexandria to Quantico, linking Richmond and Alexandria by rails. The bridge into Washington DC was opened during the following year. Meanwhile, Ashland was developed as a resort with a racetrack in the 1840s by the railroad company, and officially incorporated as a town on February 19, 1858. The railroad station was opened not long thereafter. The original station building was replaced in 1923 by the current building visible on the North camera. Amtrak information The Amtrak schedule for the line through Ashland can be found at https://www.amtrak.com/timetables.html (look for the schedule named '''Northeast Corridor 3'''). Amtrak station symbols for Ashland trains Ashland Amtrak trains by train number Ashland Amtrak trains by the time at Ashland CSX information CSX Transportation (reporting mark '''CSXT''') runs freight trains through Ashland and owns the tracks. There is no published schedule for CSX trains. Normally southbound trains have odd numbers, whereas northbound trains have even numbers at Ashland. Q354/355 are an exception, as Q354 runs south and Q355 (on some days L355) runs north. Regular CSX trains =